Les Bowen

STAFF WRITER

Les Bowen has covered the Eagles since 2002. Before that, he covered the Flyers for 13 years. He came to the Daily News from the Charlotte Observer in May 1983, just as the Sixers were winning the NBA championship. He thought, "Gosh, this sort of thing must happen all the time here."

MOBILE, Ala. --- Wearing Eagles garb at this morning's Senior Bowl weigh-in and sitting with the Birds' scouts was Josh Gibson, Oregon's former assistant director of football operations.

Reports from Oregon over the weekend indicated Gibson was being hired by the Eagles in an unspecified capacity. The Eagles have not confirmed this, or much of anything else about Kelly's staff.

In the summer of 2011, Gibson was implicated as a key figure in an NCAA investigation that could result in sanctions against the Ducks. Gibson was the main contact at Oregon for Will Lyles, a Houston-based "recruiting consultant" who was paid $25,000 for "information" that reportedly did not meet NCAA standards. The implication has been that Lyles was paid to steer players to Oregon.

Poll

Can Pat Shurmur fix the Eagles’ offense?

Yes. He will blend in well with Chip Kelly.

No. Critics in Cleveland said he was too conservative.

It’s way too soon to tell.

Kelly, and perhaps more of his mystery staffers, are supposed to be present this afternoon at the South Senior Bowl practice in Fairhope, Ala.

CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this post referred to reports that Gibson was dismissed by Oregon in 2011 because of the recruiting scandal. He was not. Gibson remained at Oregon until last weekend when Kelly hired him for the Eagles.